{"id":314105,"date":"2026-02-28T04:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T04:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/314105\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T04:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T04:10:10","slug":"knesset-marks-israel-us-alliance-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/314105\/","title":{"rendered":"Knesset marks Israel US alliance anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"

The phrase, \u201cmost trusted and cherished,\u201d lingered in the hall. Wednesday\u2019s conference celebrating 250 Years of the United States and the Israel-US Strategic Partnership, was organized by the Knesset\u2019s Israel\u2013US<\/a> caucus. Speaker after speaker returned to the same premise. The alliance is strong. It is visible. It is active. But it cannot be assumed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org<\/a><\/p>\n

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee<\/a> told The Media Line that the event was \u201ca wonderful opportunity to once again celebrate the partnership between the US and Israel.\u201d As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, he said, it was \u201cquite appropriate\u201d to recognize Israel as \u201cour most trusted and cherished partner in the world.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana<\/a>, a senior member of the Likud party, set the frame early. \u201cToday, Israel, the Jewish people, and the entire free world, face the twin threats of terrorism and antisemitism,\u201d he said. \u201cThose who chant \u2018death to America\u2019 also chant \u2018death to Israel\u2019.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

Ohana pointed to what he described as exceptional coordination between Jerusalem and Washington. \u201cPresident Trump has met with Prime Minister Netanyahu seven times in 13 months, unprecedented by any measure,\u201d he said, presenting the statistic as evidence of alignment at the highest level. Turning toward Huckabee, he added that the ambassador had defended Israel publicly \u201cwith the courage and composure of Daniel in the lion\u2019s den.\u201d<\/p>\n

The US and Israel face a different kind of challenge<\/p>\n

The anniversary was the stated reason for the gathering. The underlying message was more strategic. Several speakers made clear that the relationship between Israel and the US, though reinforced in recent years, now faces a different kind of challenge. Not a diplomatic break or a military split, but something more subtle and likely to last much longer.<\/p>\n

\"LikudLikud MK Ohad Tal speaks at the Knesset on Feb. 25, 2026. (credit: Gabriel Colodro\/The Media Line)<\/p>\n

Huckabee himself, while emphasizing economic reciprocity, shifted quickly away from budgetary language in his formal address. The annual $3.8 billion assistance package, he noted, represents \u201c0.005% of the US budget.\u201d It is \u201cnot a one-way street. It is a two-way street.\u201d Ammunition used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), he said, is manufactured \u201cjust outside of Little Rock, Arkansas, where I live,\u201d and components of Israel\u2019s missile defense systems are also produced in his home state.<\/p>\n

But he stopped short of leaving it there. \u201cLet\u2019s not put it in economic terms,\u201d Huckabee said. \u201cLet\u2019s put it in something more important, something even deeper.\u201d What binds the two countries, he argued, is a \u201cJudeo-Christian foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The argument that American support is an investment rather than aid was echoed by Likud lawmaker Ohad Tal, who said bluntly, \u201cThe $3.8 billion that the US gives to Israel every year isn\u2019t aid. It is America\u2019s smartest and highest return investment.\u201d Citing former US Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Tal described Israel as \u201cthe largest American aircraft carrier in the world that cannot be sunk,\u201d adding that it is \u201cAmerica\u2019s most cost-effective aircraft carrier that does not need to be moved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"USUS Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana enter the Knesset on Feb. 25, 2026. (credit: Gabriel Colodro\/The Media Line)<\/p>\n

At the same time, he warned that backing for Israel faces pressure across the ideological spectrum. The alliance, he said, is \u201cconstantly challenged in college campuses, in the streets of Western capitals, in the media, in think tanks, in civil society organizations, and even in parts of Washington.\u201d He named figures on the American right whom he accused of fueling hostility toward Jews, saying, \u201cCandace Owens, Nick Fuentes, Tucker Carlson<\/a>, and others have joined the radical left and Islamists in their hatred for Jews.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Israel’s great friend – President Donald J. Trump<\/p>\n

Sharren Haskel, the deputy minister of foreign affairs and a member of the Likud party, framed the relationship in ideological terms. \u201cThis is not charity. This is partnership,\u201d she said, adding that \u201cIsrael has never had a better friend in the White House than President Donald J. Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sentiment was reinforced by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar, who credited President Donald Trump with reshaping the regional landscape following the Gaza war. President Trump, Sa\u2019ar said, \u201chas proven time and again that he deserves the title, the leader of the free world,\u201d arguing that his leadership \u201cmade our region and the world a safer place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Referring to the Trump-backed 20-point plan that concluded the war, Sa\u2019ar stated that it \u201chelped bring about the release of all our hostages,\u201d and that \u201cat the heart of this plan are the disarmament of Hamas and Islamic Jihad\u201d as well as the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and the deradicalization of the Palestinian society there.<\/p>\n

Yet, beneath the praise for current coordination ran a thread of unease about the future. Michal Shir, a member of the Knesset from the Yesh Atid party, told The Media Line that \u201cthe very strong relationship and friendship \u2026 \u00a0is crucial for the future of both nations,\u201d but cautioned that \u201cthe world is changing,\u201d and that \u201cthe tectonic plates are shifting since we haven’t seen since World War II.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

She added that younger generations are \u201cbeing influenced by social media,\u201d warning that rising antisemitism is altering public attitudes. \u201cWe see the numbers. These are not good numbers,\u201d she said. In her remarks at the conference, she described antisemitism as \u201ca test of Western civilization itself,\u201d adding that \u201cthe fight against antisemitism is not Israel\u2019s fight alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rising antisemitism shows in the data<\/p>\n

Carole Nuriel of the Anti-Defamation League offered data to support that concern. \u201cFor the Jews in the diaspora, and certainly in the US, there is no ceasefire,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are talking about 10,000 [antisemitic] events a year in the US.\u201d<\/p>\n

She noted that the share of Americans holding antisemitic views has climbed from \u201c11-12%\u201d over many years to \u201c24%\u201d today. \u201cOne out of four Americans,\u201d she said, holds \u201csignificant antisemitic attitudes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polling trends cited by Rotem Oreg-Kalisky, founder of Librael, an NGO based in Israel promoting Israeli interests from a liberal values perspective, highlighted the challenge. He said, \u201c53% of Americans hold a negative opinion on Israel. Among Americans under 30, \u201cOnly 24% hold a positive opinion on Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n

He noted that arguments focused on high-tech innovation or military cooperation fail to resonate with audiences shaped by human rights discourse, because those convinced they cannot support Israel on the basis of their values \u2014 justice, peace, equality, and human rights – are not interested in Israel\u2019s high-tech sector.<\/p>\n

While describing President \u00a0Trump as \u201ca true friend of the State of Israel,\u201d Oreg-Kalisky added, \u201cThe bad news, he will not be president for a long time,\u201d urging preparation \u201cfor every scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yasmin Lukatz, executive director of the Israel Collaboration Network, described what she called a shift in the alliance’s very premise: \u201cThe discussion used to be how to strengthen the connection between Israel and the United States,\u201d she said. \u201cIt turned into the question: Why do we even need the connection?\u201d She insisted that the relationship remains \u201cwin-win,\u201d grounded in both shared values and mutual interests, but acknowledged that the debate has reached schools, campuses, and boardrooms.<\/p>\n

Former Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, urged the audience not to confuse strength with permanence. \u201cFor the American Jewish community, added to the traumatic date of October 7th, is October 8th,\u201d he said, describing \u201can unprecedented wave of antisemitism.\u201d He warned that \u201cwe should never take our relations for granted,\u201d and called for \u201ca long-term strategy\u201d and continued investment in bipartisanship.<\/p>\n

The most personal reflection came from Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli soldier who was killed on October 7 and whose body was kidnapped and later returned for burial. They described raising their son \u201cin Jewish-Zionist education,\u201d and with \u201ca close and ongoing connection to the State of Israel,\u201d saying he \u201cchose to come to Israel, to enlist in the IDF, and to become a combat officer out of a sense of responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since Omer was an American citizen, they felt compelled to act quickly in Washington. A letter regarding his case, they said, was received at the White House already on October 8, 2023. \u201cWithin a few days, we understood that the struggle for the release of the hostages does not take place only in Israel,\u201d they noted. \u201cIt takes place also in the United States, and mainly in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

They described the \u201clistening, openness and identification\u201d across party lines, but also noted that \u201cas the war continued, we saw cracks, mainly among the younger generation. Less connection, less identification, less sense of partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n

‘We are not scattered – We are together’<\/p>\n

Other lawmakers used history and tradition to frame continuity. National Religious Party\u2014Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman invoked early American precedent, drawing a distinction between tolerance and belonging and insisting that the bond should remain \u201cforever strong.\u201d Moshe Tur-Paz of Yesh Atid, co-chair of the caucus, used the language of Purim to emphasize unity in the face of present-day threats. \u201cWe say to Haman, we say to Iran, we are not scattered,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are together.\u201d Former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely described what she called \u201ca war of values,\u201d adding a third pillar, \u201cidentity,\u201d to the classic diplomatic pairing of security and prosperity.<\/p>\n

Boaz Bismuth of the Likud party, chair of the Knesset\u2019s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, rejected narratives of isolation. \u201cIsrael is not alone,\u201d he said. Still, he acknowledged the unpredictability of the region. \u201cThese are very, very challenging days,\u201d he said, adding, \u201cI am very anxious to know what tomorrow will bring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israeli Druze politician Afif Abed of the Likud party addressed the conference in Hebrew, emphasizing what he described as a historic bond between the Druze community and the State of Israel. He referred to the longstanding \u201cblood covenant\u201d between Druze citizens and the Jewish state, and spoke about the Druze villages that have come under attack in the north, thanking Israel for standing with the community in times of crisis.<\/p>\n

Abed also linked the strength of the US\u2013Israel alliance to regional stability, arguing that close ties with Washington reinforce Israel\u2019s security and, by extension, the security of minority communities who see their future as intertwined with the state.<\/p>\n

The anniversary provided the banner, and the debate unfolded beneath it. Huckabee spoke of trust and partnership. Others pointed to polling data, antisemitic incidents, and generational shifts. The relationship, as described in Jerusalem, is solid at the governmental level. Whether it feels the same across American society was the quieter question left hanging in the room.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The phrase, \u201cmost trusted and cherished,\u201d lingered in the hall. Wednesday\u2019s conference celebrating 250 Years of the United…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314106,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[157050,1035,49,85,46,1034,43,7991,1032],"class_list":["post-314105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-american-zionist-movement","tag-amir-ohana","tag-benjamin-netanyahu","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-mike-huckabee","tag-news","tag-the-media-line","tag-united-states"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314105"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314105\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}